Once again, Shiseido has shaken the competition by creating two products that revolutionise efforts to illuminate and smooth the face. First, a powder boasting cutting edge technologies followed by a smoothing serum that has the potential to make conventional powders very yesterday. Together, Shiseido 7 Lights Powder Illuminator and Shiseido Ibuki Smart Filtering Smoother are the two pieces you may want to add to your spring and summer makeup arsenal.

Shiseido 7 Lights Powder Illuminator has an ancestor that first appeared in 1917. At that time in Japan, powders were used to correct the complexion and even then, the only colour available was white. Eventually, yellow based powders were introduced in order to closer match the complexion, and so an opening was created for the introduction of a seven powder set that satisfied the variations in complexions. The original powders were called the 7 Colours Powder and each was sold separately, whereas this year’s limited edition reinterpretation is sold as a set. They also introduced this contemporary interpretation, consisting of the seven colours in one compact.

I remember when I first began seeing pictures of Shiseido 7 Lights Powder Illuminator online, being smitten with it and also feeling doubtful that it could work for my complexion. I then dug deeper and read more about how the powder works and even found a few images of someone with a similar complexion to mine using it. I had to order mine from a UK based online beauty website as the US Shiseido website didn’t have it. Shiseido 7 Lights Powder Illuminator is the culmination of seven light reflecting pigments that work to highlight, contour and even out the complexion. It also brings luminosity when it is brushed onto the outer reaches of the orbital bone. I find that it works well when layered over my blusher, and even on the eyelids when I’m not wearing eyeshadow.

It would be easy to compare Shiseido 7 Lights Illuminating Powder to Guerlain Météorites. However, where Météorites has more in the way of mica and appears more glittery until it is blended into the skin, Shiseido 7 Lights Illuminating Powder blends into the skin faster, has less mica and is more finely milled. Guerlain Météorites also has more fragrance than the Shiseido Powder. If you’ve always wanted to try an illuminating product but was hesitant for any reason, Shiseido 7 Lights Illuminating Powder is a fail-safe option. Plus, it can also be used all over the face if one were inclined, to bring dimension and a subtle luminosity without having to worry about doing too much. Lastly, the powder includes a usable, sturdy brush that can be used to easily apply the product.

Now to what may be the powder of the future. Shiseido Ibuki Smart Filtering Smoother is more that just a blurring product. Far from the silicone heavy blurring products that first made their way to the market some years ago, Shiseido has managed to refine the concept and improve on delivery to the skin. This is a serum that’s meant to be the last step in makeup application. Specifically, after applying your base products, any powders, blushers and illuminators etc, you dot this onto the skin to lock everything into place and to reduce any oils.

The brilliance of this product is that it utilises Photogenic Skin Technology, where the liquid includes mattifying properties via powders in the formula. In other words, the powders dwelling in the liquid work to reduce sebum inside of the pores, making it excellent for oilier skin types although it can be used by anyone. I have dry skin and I really appreciates what this serum does for me in terms of the evenness it brings to my skin, the light it attracts for a more nuanced and youthful looking skin and in photographs, it definitely behaves similarly to the filters we’re guilty of using to make skin appear flawless.

The size of this product is brilliant because I know I’ll use it all up. I’ve had to toss primers that have gone past their expiry date simply because you need so little per use. Shiseido Ibuki Smart Filtering Smoother comes in at 20ml of product, making it perfect for travel and easy to toss into your purse. There is the mildest scent and it sinks into the skin with ease. It can also be applied if you have plans later in the day and need to hype up your skin a bit to make it look smoother and fresher.

Under Dick Page, Shiseido’s British Artistic Director, the house has delivered two brilliant products that are in keeping with the Instagram perfect skin that’s dominating everything. For a company that has been at it since 1872, Shiseido has managed to remain on trend and yes, ahead of many of its peers with innovative formulas and a skincare and makeup portfolio that can be accessed by many skin types and complexions.